Monday           Mo Syracuse March 4 [overwritten] 5..62

 

well Mr Philander Smith Scoville you have a long name so you must try to make it as good as it is long yes dear son i expect to do that is try to do a farthers part now Phy if you will try to do a childs part how nice it will seam when a fond farther and dutiful son works to gether for each others good now Phy i know you are a good boy you have cheared your lonesom mother many a winter eavening when siting by a plesent O son pleas continue to do so as long as you and her lives together

 

            well this is tuesday morning 6 oclock march 4..62 well now Princes Josepine Scoville well now that is a tolerable long name and a verry prety name to, that so and a prety nice little girl she is to yes she has a noble disposition O my dear Prinny you must try to improve in learning to read write and spell and also cultivate your sweet manners and disposition now Prinny your pa will if he lives be at home some time in the spring months now you must keep a kiss for me /

 

Now Sylva Jane Scoville you have a verry prety name and also a sweet rosy face and a plesent disposition. O my dear little Sib you must try to be a verry good girl i know you are a good kind harted creature now (but i wish you to be verry good and verry kind to Mother and your sweet toty) well my sweet babe comes next…what will i write to her maby i will wipe a way some affectionate tears before i can write more. well i have been out to the crick and plesent grove which is near our camp. the sun is shining most deliteful but it is cold now little Ruth…Scoville you have a good, lovly name and a plump round rosy sweet face and those sparkling indipendent basiching little eyes of yours whare a person can read a thousand different things well toty you must be a good girl O yes i know you will but you must be a good girl for pa tell Lol that your farther will come home Somday. toty tell Mother to kiss you for pa. tell granpa that pap talked to you in the letter /

 

Laura Olivia Scoville

i must give you some advice to as i am talking to all of my children you seam to have a long pretty name to O may you allways bear a good name a good name is a good fortune yes it is more than many a one thinks it is now lol you must learn as much as you can that is every thing that is of a good nature learn all that will make you wise and good i would like to see you instructing small children in Sabath Scool well you can do some good at home or with your asosiates any whare whare you are in company with young girls all ways try to teach them some good lesson eaven to young men some times the advice of a lady does more good than if it come from some other sorce O Laura pray much study the scriptures pray for your farther that is far distant from you yes i believe you do O how thankful i am for one praying child i must close this i am siting at a windo writeing on my knee on my portfolio at the house whare forde is sick he is better i am in exclent health 

 

Now Ruth a word to you altho you are capible of instructing me yes you paid more atension to your books and studys than i did and now i see the folly of inatension to books if i understood reading and arithmatick i would not be a private soldier i would be a corporel or sargent and get more wages and be a noncommisioned officer (so much for igronance) well i am trying to improve, but i do not have much time to study. now Ruth all i wish you to do is to be chearful as usual and set a good exampel before your daughters and son do as you think proper at all times write to me affectionate companion it does my sole good to read a letter from home yes i call it home well my home is in your brest and after death it will be in heaven whare all sorrow will ceace whare friends will meet to part nomore yes if we prove faithful untill death we will receive a crown of life and injoy never ending eternity how deliteful how sole chearing the thought if i had paper and time i could write pages but i must close yours forever J G Scoville

SOURCES